From a 1970 Gazette article by Joseph Chase Allen:

Childhood memories retain the picture of the scrub tree, a relic of the past found quite close to the door of some farmhouse kitchen. It is a weathered skeleton of a scrub oak with half a dozen of its principal limbs remaining, every particle of bark removed. Its trunk sawed off above the stump, it extended its bare limbs to the four winds. On wash day garments hung out to dry decorated its limbs after the practice of a forgotten era.

GOOD THINGS, TOO

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The town may have budget constraints in this economy, but what about all the good things happening in the town of Oak Bluffs through grants and hard work and good will?

More Honors

Two students were omitted from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Honors List published in Friday’s Gazette.

Meghan Pettit made consistent achievement in honor roll status for the first three quarters for seniors and Molly Ciciora made consistent achievement in honor roll status for the first three quarters for juniors.

Ayslly Arrives

Andria Zotte Otoni and Ateoni Alves Otoni of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Ayslly Zotte Otoni, born on May 30, 2010, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Ayslly weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces at birth.

IMP All Things Theatre Camp will begin July 5 and run through August 20 at the Edgartown School Theatre, with the new option of drop-in mornings.

The camp is part of a multifaceted year-round theatre program where kids ages 6 to 18 can explore theater in a safe, supportive way.

Children may choose from full or half-day options; one-week, two-week or daily sessions; and different theater activities.

The following journal chronicles Vineyard author Kate Feiffer’s experience on the making of the new play My Mom Is Trying to Ruin My Life, which is having a workshop production at the Vineyard Playhouse on June 11, 12, 18 and 19. M.J. Bruder Munafo, who is also directing, adapted the book to stage.

July 1, 1998: Motherhood began two weeks later than expected. Now that my daughter has been born, I can say with confidence that I will be a cool mom.

Editor’s Note: The following is an edited selection of reader comments from the Gazette Web site on the story that appeared Tuesday about Brazilian-born seniors at the regional high school who were told they may not wear scarves in their birth country’s colors over their gowns at graduation. Many comments were posted, but the vast majority were unsigned, and by the newspaper’s policy cannot appear in the print edition.

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The following letter was sent to the Tisbury board of health:

With all the spring foliage in full array, it is evident that much of the plant life along the utility company’s right of way through our town is dead. All of the oak, pine, sassafras, and chokecherry are without leaves or buds. Only the poison ivy and some ferns remain alive.

By PEGGY STURDIVANT

When we closed the Camp Ground cottage for the winter 40 years ago, it was serious business. The braided wool rugs were rolled, the refrigerator was cleaned and propped open, the water had been turned off and the pipes flushed, the delicate glass pane windows nailed shut. An official sign was affixed: No Trespassing. Oak Bluffs Police Take Notice.

Alison Smith was so many firsts for me. She was my first dance, my first crush, and one of my very first friends. She would have been my first date at the sixth grade dance too, but I chickened out. If I was Kevin Arnold, then she was my Winnie Cooper, and those were indeed the wonder years.